Send a Message

This week people reach out in all kinds of ways to try to get their point across. And the recipients of those messages try to decipher what they mean. Messages in code, over the phone, and from beyond the grave. Prologue: Reporter Josh Bearman tells Ira a story about two coded messages that Galileo sent to fellow scientist Johannes Kepler back in the 17th century. Galileo was trying to tell Kepler about some of the amazing discoveries he made with his new telescope. And after months of mind-bending work, Kepler finally decoded the messages. Eureka! There was only one catch. Kepler was wrong. But he was also kind of right. But also, still, kind of wrong. (8 mins) The Motherhood of the Traveling Pants: For generations, the gender of babies born into one family have all been determined in advance. The pregnant mothers receive a package in the mail, and if a little pink dress is inside, it's a girl. If there is a pair of brown polyester old-man pants, it's a boy. Producer Brian Reed reports the story. (17 minutes) Message in a Bottle: Comedian, performer and author Dave Hill gets the message, loud and clear, from a Gatorade bottle on a subway platform. Dave is the author of Tasteful Nudes ... and Other Misguided Attempts at Personal Growth and Validation. His story was recorded live at Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn. (9 minutes) Soul Sister: Sonari Glinton tells the story of how a Catholic nun teaches an entire school on Chicago's South Side that we are all truly made in God's image. Sonari is a reporter for NPR News. (8 minutes) Not My First Time at the Rodeo: A man has a very clear vision of how he always stood up to his father, protected his mother and fought hard for the truth. Until one day he discovers actual raw data — secretly recorded conversations — that threaten to change his picture of everything. Producer Nancy Updike tells the story. (12 minutes)